Unlock the world of fractions with this FREE online tutorial designed to make understanding fractions easy and engaging!
This post includes five sample problems to boost your child’s learning experience right from the start.
The Problem: Fractions are abstract and challenging, even for adults. Questions like “Which is bigger, 4/7 or 6/13?” can be perplexing. (By the way, the answer is 4/7.) Now imagine an elementary school child trying to solve that!
This confusion can lead to frustration and a lack of confidence in math. Without a solid understanding of fractions, children can struggle with more advanced math concepts, making their educational journey difficult and discouraging.
The Solution: This FREE online tutorial on “How to do fractions” is here to help. This is the first article in an eleven-part series that provides a comprehensive and concrete understanding of fractions. In this series, your child will:
- Get Introduced to Fractions: Learn to draw mathematical models for a variety of fractions.
- Build a Strong Foundation: Step-by-step lessons ensure your child thoroughly understands each concept.
- Master All Operations: Following articles will teach how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide fractions.
- Learn with Visual Aids: Each lesson includes video tutorials demonstrating how to draw mathematical models for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions.
Visit our website (https://www.teachersdungeon.com/) for a comprehensive educational program designed to help kids become proficient in mathematics. By mastering these concepts, your child will gain a deeper, more concrete understanding of fractions, paving the way for a successful educational journey. Don’t miss out on this valuable resource—empower your child’s learning today!
Articles within this series on Fractions:
- How to do fractions, Free Online Tutoring in Math for Understanding Fractions
- How to Add Fractions (like 4/7 + 3/7 )
- How to Subtract Fractions (like 8/9 – 4/9 )
- How to Add Fractions with Unlike Denominators (like 2/3 + 3/4 )
- How to Subtract Fractions with Unlike Denominators (like 2/3 – 1/4)
- How to Add Fractions that are Mixed Numbers (like 2 & 3/4 + 3 & 5/6 )
- How to Subtract Fractions that are Mixed Numbers (like 3 & 3/4 – 2 & 5/6)
- How to Multiply Fractions (like 2/3 x 5 )
- How to Divide Fractions (like 6 ÷ ¾ )
- How to Multiply Fractions (like 2/3 x 1/4)
- How to Divide Fractions (like ½ ÷ ¼)
This lesson is designed to offer math help online for children who are learning fractions. There are 2 simple strategies that I teach throughout all 11 steps in understanding fractions.
First – draw a box and cut it into the number of parts represented by the denominator.
Second – color the number of parts represented by the numerator.
This is a simple, yet very effective means of developing a concrete understanding of fraction. It also forms the building blocks to understanding how to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions.
Mathematical Models
Make Abstract Concepts Concrete!
Illustrating 4/6
Solving problems that deal with fractions is simple when you develop a concrete understanding. I have had incredible results with with the students in my class! The strategies taught within this article work with children who have ADHD, Dyslexia, and other learning disabilities. Virtually every one of my students who has learned the strategies within this HOW TO DO FRACTIONS article has passed the standards based assessment for adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions.
I have scaffold the problems in each lesson.
The first problem in this article is a “Watch Me” problem. The second is a “Work with Me” problem. All the rest are “On Your Own” problems.
*If your child needs a bit more support, they should complete the “On Your Own” problems as a “Work with Me” problem. I have a number of students with gaps in their learning and others with a variety of learning disabilities. I have had incredible success, by having those students complete 5 to 7 problems within each lesson as a “Work with Me” problem. They play a bit of the video, then pause it and copy, then watch a bit more, pause it and copy. My students Play – Pause – and Copy until the entire problem is solved. This is like having a personal tutor working through each and every problem with your child. Every one of my students who has used this strategy has passed the Common Core Proficiency Exam.
How to do Fractions with Online Tutoring in Math:
Challenge 1
Watch Me
Puppy In a Seatbelt
You and your mother bake a pan of brownies. You cut the pan of brownies into 1/6 parts, because there will be six people at your grandmother’s birthday party. You load the brownies into the car. Then, you buckle your puppy next to the brownies. You think your puppy is buckled tight, but you are wrong! When you look back, you see that your puppy has escaped. He is eating some of the brownies.
There is only 4/6 of the pan of brownies left.
Can you illustrate how much is left?
Watch this Free Tutoring for Math Video!
Press PLAY and Watch this Free Tutoring for Math Video below. Then copy these strategies into your notes!
How to do Fractions with Online Tutoring in Math:
Challenge 2
Work With Me
Pizza Stealing Ram
You live in a mountain cabin. Once a month, your dad drives into town and buys a pizza for you and your mom. He cuts the pan of pizza into 1/3 parts, because there are three of you eating the pizza. You all go to the bathroom to wash up for dinner when you hear the front door burst open. The sound of hooves clip-clop on the kitchen floor. Your whole family runs into the kitchen and sees a full-grown ram eating part of your pizza.
There is only 2/3 of the pan of pizza left.
Can you illustrate how much is left?
Watch this Free Tutoring for Math Video!
Gather your materials and press PLAY. We’ll solve this problem together, while you watch the math tutorial video below.
Do your children get frustrated when they make a mistake?
We all make mistakes. As a matter of fact, making mistakes is an essential part of the learning process. This is why at the end of each of the following “On Your Own” challenges I encourage children to fix their mistakes. Finding and fixing your own mistake is the fastest way to learn.
How to do Fractions with Online Tutoring in Math:
Challenge 3
On Your Own
Party Crashing Cow
You are celebrating a birthday, so your parents buy a beautiful cake for your party. All together there are nine people at the party, so your parents cut the cake into 1/9 parts. You and your friends are climbing the big oak tree in your back yard. You see the neighbor’s cow leading her baby toward the picnic table. Your cake is sitting on the picnic table. It’s far too tempting for the cows. Before anyone can stop them, the mother cow eats a mouthful, and the baby cow eats a nibble or two.
There is only 5/9 of the cake left. Can you illustrate how much is left?
Watch this Free Tutoring for Math Video!
Once you complete the problem – Hit PLAY on the math tutorial video below. Good Luck!
How to do Fractions with Online Tutoring in Math:
Challenge 4
On Your Own
Lasagna Loving Moose
It’s been a long day of raking leaves and cleaning the back yard. The good news is that your mother has made you your favorite dish for dinner. It’s a cheesy pan of lasagna, and it is waiting for you to dig in and chow down. You can’t wait. There are seven people at your house for dinner, so your mother cuts the lasagna into 1/7 parts, and sets the dish on your dining room table.
Meanwhile, a young moose has escaped from the zoo. He is about 3-years old with a new set of antlers. The moose enters your yard, walks up the steps of your back deck, and enters your dinning room. He sees the pan of lasagna sitting on the table, dips his head, and begins to munch. By the time your father can scare him away, the moose has eaten all but 3/7 of the lasagna.
Can you illustrate how much is left?
Watch this Free Tutoring for Math Video!
Once you complete the problem – Hit PLAY on the math tutorial video below. Good Luck!
How to do Fractions with Online Tutoring in Math:
Challenge 5
On Your Own
Pigging Out Pigs
Your grandmother loves to bake bread. She has just baked a large loaf and the wonderful smell fills your entire kitchen. There are fifteen aunts, uncles, and cousins at your grandmother’s house, so your grandmother cuts the loaf into 1/15 parts. She places the loaf on the kitchen counter and walks into the living room to chat with you and all your relatives.
As your grandmother leaves the kitchen, two mother pigs and their piglets sneak in. There’s a chair next to the counter, and one of the mother pigs uses it to climb onto the counter. She knocks the loaf to the floor and all the pigs start pigging out.
Before your grandmother can shoo the the pigs away, the pigs have eaten all but 13/15 of the loaf of bread. Can you illustrate how much is left?
Watch this Free Tutoring for Math Video!
Once you complete the problem – Hit PLAY on the math tutorial video below. Good Luck!
Want More Tutorials?
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